Brynmawr

Brynmawr
Brynmawr
Brynmawr shown within Blaenau Gwent
Population 5,530 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference SO185115
Principal area
Ceremonial county
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town EBBW VALE
Postcode district NP23
Dialling code 01495
Police Gwent
Fire South Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament
Until 1957 there was a railway station which had been opened a hundred years before by the London and North Western Railway.

Brynmawr (/brɪnˈmaʊər/; Welsh: [brɨnˈmaur], from Welsh, meaning 'big hill',[2] is a market town, community and electoral ward in Blaenau Gwent, South Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet (380 to 460 m) above sea level at the head of the South Wales Valleys. It grew with the development of the coal mining and iron industries in the early 19th century. Until the reorganisation of local authorities in 1974, Brynmawr sat within the county of Brecknockshire.

History

Prior to the Industrial Revolution Brynmawr was a small village settlement called Gwaun Helygen (Cors Helygen in Modern Welsh, meaning "marsh of the willow" in English), and lay in the former county of Brecknockshire. With the expansion of the Nantyglo Ironworks housing was required for the workers and Brynmawr turned into a prosperous town. Although coal mining has virtually ceased, a large mining museum has been established at Big Pit in nearby Blaenavon.

Population

Brynmawr has an estimated population of over 6,000 people. At the 2001 Census 5.75% of the 16-65 age group spoke Welsh, but the proportion of children (ages 3–15) able to speak Welsh was much higher at 30.54%.[3] The town had the only Welsh-medium primary school, Ysgol Gymraeg Brynmawr, in Blaenau Gwent with 310 pupils ranging from nursery to year 6 until 2010, when the school re-located to a brand new, purpose-built building in Blaina.

Commerce and local economy

The town centre's primary shopping areas are contained within Beaufort Street and on Market Square which is also the focal point of the town where many events are hosted. The former Market Hall is now a cinema and theatre presenting films and productions from the local amateur operatic society. The business community offers many traditional, family orientated and independently run shops with friendly and personal service.

Places of interest

Parc Nant y Waun is a nature reserve incorporating 22 hectares (54 acres) of grassland, mires and reservoirs which was officially opened in 2007.[4] Home to many wildlife species, it includes a picnic area, an outdoor classroom, and an angling club.[5]

Sport and leisure

Heavy frost at the park, December 2008

Brynmawr RFC is the local rugby union club which is affiliated to the Newport Gwent Dragons. Brynmawr has a 350-seat cinema (The Market Hall Cinema) which is the longest continually running cinema in Wales. The Market Hall opened in 1893 and has recently been renovated. As of April 1, 2017 the Market Hall Cinema has been closed since November 2016 after Blaenau Gwent Council conducted a series of asbestos tests in the building. Despite the tests coming back negative the council have refused to allow the cinema to reopen.

Notable people include professional wrestlers Adrian Street, "Flash" Morgan Webster, singer-songwriters Huw and Tony Williams and indie pop singer-songwriter Marina Diamandis, known professionally as Marina and the Diamonds. T Rowley Jones, President, Welsh Rugby Union, 1978.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ward/Community population 2011". Retrieved 6 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Note: the name is preferably spelt in Welsh with a hyphen Bryn-mawr, according to the recommendations in Rhestr o Enwau Lleoedd ("A Gazetteer of Welsh Place-Names") by Elwyn Davies, University of Wales Press, 1967)
  3. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  4. ↑ Opening of Parc Nant y Waun Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Angling Club
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